Wednesday, March 28, 2012

[PHI 3000] One's modus ponens is another's modus tollens

The skeptic argues as follows:
  1. If I don't know that I am not a brain in a vat, then I don't know that I have hands.
  2. I don't know that I am not a brain in a vat.
  3. Therefore, I don't know that I have hands.
G. E. Moore responds to this skeptical argument as follows:
  1. If I don't know that I am not a brain in a vat, then I don't know that I have hands.
  2. I know that I have hands.
  3. Therefore, I know that I am not a brain in a vat.
Both arguments are valid. Which do you find more convincing?


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